When your city is bombed to pieces in World War II, what do you do afterwards?

In the case of London, a key part of the process was the creation of the Design Research Unit (DRU) in 1942 by the poet and art critic Herbert Read, alongside architect Misha Black and graphic designer, Milner Gray.

It was the first consultancy to create a group practice by bringing together graphic designers, industrial designers and architects. The results were astounding and shaped post-war London and many of the UK’s leading brands.

From corporate logos and brand identities to buildings and industrial, DRU had a hand many pies.

Take all of the street signs in London, the British Rail logo, the livery designs for the iconic red London buses, around a hundred of the bombed Watney Mann pubs including  a new style of new signage.

To this day, the impact of DRU can be seen all over London. Co-founder Milner Gray is even accredited with inventing the term ‘corporate identity’. These were the original Mad Men of their day.

With a new exhibition in Dundee, England, underway, you can find out more about DRU here.

More photos below.

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Compared to some of the other pavilions on show at the massive Shanghai Expo 2010 event, the US pavilion is possibly one of the dullest.

Apart from the political controversy surrounding the pavilion, which has been dubbed  ‘The Shopping Mall’, thanks to the drab looks and all of the corporate advertising and logos indoors, the design is flat and uninspiring. Try comparing it to…..

…..the UK’s outrageous Seed Cathedral or Denmark’s curving Little Mermaid pavilion.

Sure, corporate America had to pony up $60 million just to get a US pavilion at the event but did it have to look like the offspring of a mall and a car dealership?

Even Hilary Clinton, who spear-headed the fervent fund-raising last year, seemed less than enthusiastic about it when she went to visit it for the first time last month. When asked about this supposed showcase for American architecture and ideals, she simply said: ‘It’s fine’.

Although, as you can see from the photo below, she seemed really excited with the Doublemint logo, just before being mobbed by the Expo’s mascots.

So, people, US pavilion: Good or Dud?

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